Of Katy Perry and Crude Punks

Katy Perry, beloved by millions of teenage and tweener girls for being a girl and by millions of teenage and slightly younger boys for having jumpstarted them into puberty, apologized a while ago on Twitter to one Chief Keef, a teenage rapper with a strong affection for marijuana and, based on his new single “I Hate Being Sober,” an even stronger affection for any available chemically-induced intoxicated state. For reference purposes I now give you the words to young master Keef’s contribution to pop culture, featuring guest appearances by fellow rappers 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa (it should be needless to say extreme language and misogyny warning, but I’ll say it nonetheless):

[Hook: Chief Keef]
Damn I hate being sober, I’m a smoker
Fredo a drinker, Tadoe off molly water
We can’t spell sober
Ballout roll up, when we roll up bitches be on us
All the hoes they love smoking, and love drinking
Anti-sober, for no reason
Cause we can’t spell sober
Ya know us, we smoke strong bruh
Watch me roll up
Cause I can’t spell sober

[Verse 1: Chief Keef]
On my tour bus we get dumb high you’s a floor boy
Fredo got a hangover he toting a Cobra
Last night he was shooting shit up like O-Dog
Reesy rollin, Tadoe got hoes on mollies
Chief Sosa, Ballout, we high riding ‘Raris
My bitches love drinking, some love smoking
Let my alcoholic bitch hit the dutch, she start choking
Call up D-Money, now we throw money
All these bitches off the shits walk around like some zombies
Call up D-Money, now we throw money
All these bitches off the shits walk around like some zombies

[Hook]

[Verse 2: 50 Cent]
We got 100 pounds of this shit, my stash house with them bricks
My pockets filled with them stacks, my bitch be gone off a flat
She a hot tamale when she pop a molly, it’s time to party, we party hard
Drink and smoke it, drink and smoke it, drink and smoke it, we high for sure
I came in back of that Rolls, nigga I ain’t stuntin’ them hoes
I trick a bitch to suck dick
Trick, what you spend on her, we spend on clothes
Too young for me she want Sosa, shooters in the Range Rover
That’s GBE, when them two-two-threes get to flyin’ bitch its over
See my ring chain and my Rolex when I’m flexin’
Bitch I got to get mine, nigga get outta line, I check ‘em
See this gangsta’s shit done to perfection
Nigga better believe me, I make it look easy

[Hook]

[Verse 3: Wiz Khalifa]
My weed so strong, my cheese so long
Roll so many joints soon I might need a lung
Spend so many grands that I might need some bands
That’s your bitch why she acting like she need a man?
I’m faded, talking mills cause I made it
Talking pounds cause I smoke it
Talking game cause I played it
I’m wasted, Rose thats my favorite
OG kush, you can taste it
Buying Cris’ by the cases
I hate being sober
Dont smell no one smoking
Me and my niggas gon’ roll up
Believe they gon’ fire on you
You think you could roll up
You smoke by the ounce
Well bitch, I smoke by the pound ‘cause

[Hook]

Robert Frost, step aside. (And to think Tipper Gore used to complain about Twisted Sister. But I digress.)

Anyway, Ms. Perry happened upon the, uh, “song” in question and found it somewhat less than a positive culture changer:

Young master Keef, alas, took umbrage:

For whatever reason, this prompted Ms. Perry to… APOLOGIZE?!!

Which may well be true, but as an inducement for apologizing to someone threatening physical violence against you seems rather tepid.

Now, Ms. Perry’s parents, faithful Christians who have watched their daughter’s departure from her days as a Christian pop singer (yes, really) with more than a little dismay and whose fervent prayer is that she might being the lamentably presently unemployed Tim Tebow home as her boyfriend, are doubtless less than enthralled about a loudmouthed pothead insulting and then threatening their daughter. As any parents would be, I strongly suspect. I also strongly suspect that in addition to their daughter dating Mr. Tebow, Ms. Perry’s parents are also praying they’ll invite Chuck Norris to be their chaperone for the evening, said evening culminating with a visit to young master Keef’s residence so he might enthusiastically be shown the error of his ways.

And now, time to lay aside the snark.

It’s easy to forget that celebrities are human beings; that the women so many men lust after are indeed someone’s daughter and that they, like we, are but sinners for whom Christ died so they may live. Chances are extremely limited that anyone reading, not to mention the individual writing, these words will ever have genuine interaction with any of the people involved in this little matter. Also, I harbor no illusion that any of the people involved will read or so much as hear of these words. That said, none of it negates the fact that these are still people precious to God; people who need to either continue following Him, return to Him or discover Him in the first place.

We speak often of the need to change the culture, raising up artists to counter the Katy Perrys and Chief Keefs of this world. Which would be nice and is something we should wholeheartedly pursue. However, the Katy Perrys and Chief Keefs of this world are already there. I harbor no delusions about “oh, if only so-and-so would start following Jesus it would reach so many!” It’s easy to pray for celebrities because we don’t have to deal with the actual person involved. However, we should pray for these people. Not because of what they might do were they to emulate Christ. Rather, because they, like we, need Him. That’s more than a good enough reason. And, once someone has the life-changing moment of burying their face in the folds of Christ’s robe and feel the comfort of His nail-scarred hands holding them, you never know what will happen next.

Only that it will be good.

On Fighting the Madness

It is impossible to take a look at current events without believing that the world is rapidly spinning off its axis. The hideous insanity of today’s obscenity in London, where two subhumans hacked an innocent soldier to death in the name of their false prophet, should serve as a warning sign to all that madness has descended on the earth to a level seldom seen before in man’s sordid history. Here in our own land, the madness of a completely out of control, arrogant and contemptuous government spying on its own citizens, hassling innocents in the name of political correctness and generally acting like a pathetic schoolyard bully should also serve as a red flag to anyone who has taken the red pill. We live in insane times.

It is lamentable that in times like these, so many who should know better are consumed with trivial pursuits that mean nothing and bring nothing to the table save yet another round of self-aggrandizing, self-promoting vainglory. One side provokes the other, the other responds in like kind, the trolls on both sides of the bridge hurl their bile and all the while nothing is accomplished. It is a game played by both sides, one in which there are no winners except those who through it garner yet another round of shoe leather fellatio from their adoring followers. The goal ought to be never becoming what we profess to oppose. Indeed, this is being accomplished. Unfortunately, the accomplishment is being even worse than what we profess to oppose.

We have seen nature’s fury these past few days; something which ought to humble us all and bring into full perspective that which truly matters. Instead, after momentary tongue-clucking and self-promoting charity exercises it’s back to business as usual, with left and right berating each other while playing to an adoring crowd within their respective echo chambers. There is much talk about changing the culture, breaking out of the aforementioned echo chamber and not applying litmus tests to one another in order to determine who is and is not on our side. Why, then, is there such an overwhelming amount of playing to the crowd, reciting the same tired lines and doing nothing that genuinely reaches out to others with a message of anything except endless reruns of what everyone else is currently saying?

We wear Scripture tattoos on our arms, but do we bear the wounds of Christ on our bodies? Do we see the world in terms of right and wrong based on political preference and not as a collection of individuals who, like ourselves, are in desperate need of a loving Savior? Do we truly know that Jesus died for everyone? Do we even care?

Are we coming to grips with the reality of how Christ calls us not to a life of luxury and adoration, but rather sacrifice and service to all? Do we understand and put into action simple gestures such as actually helping one another in the menial tasks of life as well as what we perceive to be great and glorious? Many aspire to stand beneath a spire, preaching from the pulpit where they dispense pearls of wisdom, grace and truth to a mesmerized congregation. Very few are equally eager to clean the church restroom.

It is time to reevaluate thinking; to re-examine priorities and put into action the principles and goals we assign to conservatism. For those of us who believe, it is time to begin boldly proclaiming the Word of God along with analysis of political events, philosophies and personalities. It is time to put into action the principles of Christ’s love, reaching out to all with genuine compassion, care and concern regardless of whether doing so earns us brownie points in the eyes of others or advances our career. It is time to lift up and support those who are dedicating their lives to sharing the Good News without regard to whether this pads our resume or garners a greater following. It is not the separation of church and state we should vigorously oppose. Rather, it is the separation of church and statements we make through our lives, words and deeds when we preach politics but fail to preach the Prince of Peace and practice what He has instructed us to do. We eagerly recoil in public horror at the abomination that is Gosnell. Are we equally eager to publicly share the Gospel?

Confront evil with full force, yet with the unshakable belief that Christ’s power can overcome even the hardest hearts. We need to strive toward being a consistent witness, not fearfully hiding our faith and bringing it out for public consideration only when it seems to be the least offensive to others. By doing so, we not only make ourselves look hypocritical by being afraid of stating what we believe, but we also make God look like an utter weakling. A very dangerous path to pursue.

Jesus was a man of action when He walked this earth, zealously and directly opposing those who said one thing and hypocritically did another while reaching out with compassion to society’s misfits – the prostitutes, the tax collectors. He made a whip, turned over tables and drove the moneychangers out of the Temple. He physically put Himself between the woman caught in adultery and the crowd with rocks in their hands itching for the opportunity to stone her. We must do likewise.

Like Him, we must zealously oppose those who say they are with us but whose actions and words reveal them to be anything but. Yet at the same time, we should reach out with compassion and genuine love to those on the other side of the aisle no matter who on our side it may aggravate. We serve a mighty, or to be more accurate the Almighty, God. We should not get in the way of His flexing His muscle.

The world needs love, not another lecture. The world needs Jesus Christ, not jostling to curry favor with fanbois and gurrls. The world needs us refusing to make every battle a pitched personal as well as political conflict. The world needs our complete witness, both telling it about Jesus and living a life worthy of His sacrifice for us on the cross.

This is how we can fight the madness.

On Changing the Culture

There is something called BlogCon presently taking place in Dallas. It’s a mix of seminars, lectures and, should it follow the pattern of most every conservative new media conclave, drunken karaoke.

It’s a bit of an oddity that the event is co-sponsored by the Blaze, otherwise know as Glenn Beck’s media creation. Several times in the past Beck has been pilloried in CNM circles for wholesale lifting of material from conservative blogs with neither credit to, nor mention of, its originator. Apparently all is forgiven and “I am Breitbart” is forgotten, since everyone who is someone is reportedly at BlogCon. It’s pretty much needless to say I’m not, but I’ll say it anyway.

One of the overriding mantras of BlogCon, based on its itinerary, is how CNM must reach outside the echo chamber and pursue/promote changing the culture. This is an especially crucial message to deliver at this time, and what better place to proclaim this than at a gathering of echo chamber kings and queens? This guarantees much discussion and emphasis within the echo chamber of the idea that CNM must indeed reach out beyond the echo chamber, said discussion being spurred by leaders of the echo chamber who to date have done such a magnificent job of spreading their message outside the echo chamber no one outside the echo chamber knows they exist. Imagine how much worse off we would all be if they were not scoring such monumental successes unfettered by any limitations of speaking solely to the echo chamber! Why, instead of no one outside the echo chamber knowing they exist it would be absolutely no one outside the echo chamber knowing they exist! Certainly can’t have that, now can we.

Sarcasm aside, there is a deep flaw in the “change the culture” philosophy presently being espoused in CNM circles. What we are hearing from people who have made no genuine inroads themselves into the popular mentality is that we need to identify and support conservative artists, pundits and teachers to counterbalance the liberal stranglehold on entertainment, news and education. Certainly this is a noble ideal, one with much merit. However, it overlooks a key element. Part of this is how the preachers of this culture change gospel have with their own actions not moved the needle one iota even as they tell others how it ought to be done. This duly noted, the main error is their forgetting fundamental truths: without love there is nothing, and without Christ there is no genuine change in the human heart.

Breaking this down, as long as CNM individually view themselves, and collectively views itself, as the superior to mainstream media and liberals (pardon the redundancy) it will never make so much as a dent in either MSM or pop culture’s armor. The genuinely humble artist, pundit or teacher lets their work do the talking. They do not boast; they self-promote with polite confidence in the quality of what they have to present. Their mission is not “look at me,” but rather “consider this.” The problem with being someone whose primary message consists of “look at me” is that at some point in time someone will look and see the one demanding attention not as they wish to be seen, nor as they see him or herself, but rather as they actually are. Which is not always a pretty picture.

The second part of this comes straight from Jesus: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Far too often the comment is made that discussing faith and discussing politics must be separated out for fear of alienating those one is attempting to engage with the latter by talking about the former. Really? If faith calls into play the same logic and reason used to formulate political opinions; that is to say, if faith is something other than an emotional rush but engages the mind as well as heart and soul, why shy away from it? Is not the Prince of Peace more important than politics? Is a single soul not so valuable to God that Jesus came to this earth to suffer and die so that one individual soul might have eternal life with Him? Remember, that single soul is you. And me. And everyone else. If faith is interwoven throughout your life as it ought to be for a believer. even as political philosophy is interwoven throughout your thought process, it should be as much a part of your daily discourse as talking about the latest developments in Washington.

This also applies to what we promote. A personal example. On a very good and quite popular Internet radio station for which the format is 1980s pop music, I have a show on which twice every Sunday I play terrific music; the best of Christian rock and pop from the 1980s with an occasional nod to the 1970s and 1990s as well. This isn’t saccharine schmaltz. It’s real, honest music that was great then and is great now. The show’s purpose is among other things an outreach to those who once knew the joy of life in Christ back in the day when this music was on their turntables and in their cassette decks, but have since seen that joy stripped away by life’s burdens. It is a reminder that Jesus is still there, He still loves them and He is more than willing and able to rekindle their dormant joy. It is changing the culture through the most effective method available: changing people by reviving heart, mind and soul. It also opens a channel through which political discussion can be initiated by talking about the cornerstone of conservative thought, namely the active application of Scripture and Christ’s teachings in everyday life. If this is not the foundation of our politics, then our beliefs have no foundation.

Certainly it is bothersome when I mention the show to CNM people as a possibility for promotion only to be either ignored altogether or told, be it directly or indirectly, there is no interest as it is not a political broadcast; yet these same people are presently gathered at BlogCon shouting to the skies how we must change the culture. Here is a golden opportunity to do so, and it is being dismissed out of hand. However, railing against this either collectively or individually will effect no change in the situation. Waste time, energy and unnecessarily incur hard feelings, yes. Accomplish anything worth accomplishing, not in the least. Therefore, not going there.

What I will say is this. People in CNM say within the echo chamber of their own creation they want to change the culture by reaching outside of the echo chamber. Fine, well and good. However, as long as CNM remains a self-satiated movement unwilling to move past all politics all the time, and as long as it actively excludes those whose cultural outreach is not strictly political in nature, all of its fine words about culture change are so much shouting into the wind heard by no one save those doing the shouting.

In Defense of Justin Bieber

So I wake up on this sunny Sunday, nursing a slight sunburn from the birthday party for my one year old great-grandniece her grandmother held in her backyard yesterday, to see the Twitter world is all atwitter over something Justin Bieber said. Seems the young Canadian lad and pop music teen idol visited the Anne Frank House yesterday, spending an hour or so there, then wrote in the guestbook how inspirational she was and that he hoped she would have been a “belieber.” For the uninitiated, “belieber” is the nickname Bieber’s great in number and even greater in fervor fan base of tween and teenage girls proudly wear.

From the right, the reaction has been a torrent of how abhorrent Bieber’s note was, or at least should be, to one and all. How dare he trivialize Anne Frank in this manner; what a maroon if not in fact dumber and more ego drenched than the lead singer of Maroon 5, etc etc etc and all the usual things you see on Twitchy when people grow outraged over the latest outrageous outrage.

Actually, the only people behaving outrageously are those professing outrage and/or leveling their snark attacks at Bieber over his comment. Shall we review?

Has it occurred to anyone that Bieber might have been expressing a wish that in a better world the toughest situation Anne Frank would have felt compelled to write about in her diary was choosing between the Justin Bieber and One Dimension of her day? That perhaps he meant no disrespect, nor was tripping over his own ego, by expressing a wish that Frank could have had a normal teenage life, not to mention life period, and that instead of his writing a note in the guestbook she’d be writing a check at the local record store to buy one of her granddaughters a Justin Bieber CD? That the face of the Holocaust could have instead been presently making a face at the silly antics of teenage girls going nuts over whoever’s picture is on this month’s Tiger Beat?

Some more facts, if you please. Bieber has 32.5 million Twitter followers. Thirty-two and a half million. Given the well-chronicled disaster that is public education, what are the odds that more than a handful of these kids have so much as heard of Anne Frank? If this non-incident gets copies of The Diary of Anne Frank in their hands, if this sparks interest in who she is and why their dreamboat visited her house, how can this be a bad thing?

Are we so accustomed to slamming celebrities every which way for everything and every slight that we are no longer capable of discerning when the issue is reasl or imagined? C’mon, people. Pick your battles.

No wonder we keep losing the cultural as well as the political war.

The Fine Art Of Criticism As Demonstrated By How(e) Not To Do It

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Back in the dawn of antiquity, when I was an active journalist covering Christian music, I regularly attended the industry’s yearly convention in Nashville. This was at a time when the debate over whether rock and roll was a acceptable medium for Christian music was still a hot button issue. One of the major Christian labels had just put out its first hard rock record, and was fiercely promoting the band. I ran into one of the band members, at a non-industry supervised moment, and he asked me what I honestly thought of their debut. I told him. In my opinion, the music was far too produced and processed to be a legitimate counterpoint to its secular namesake. At that particular time, Guns ‘n Roses was riding high before its appetite for self-destruction took full hold. I mentioned them not as someone to necessarily emulate musically, but rather pointing out the raw energy in their music. In the Christian band’s case, any energy the music might have had had been squeezed out in production, making it too smooth to be what it was trying to be. He politely said thank you. I was told later by other journalists that he commented how much he appreciated I had been the only person to directly speak to him about the band’s music, rather than hiding behind a review or talking about the band behind their back. As a side note, the band’s second record, which if I remember correctly was more commercially successful than the first, was far more raw and energetic.

I mention this in light of the brewing brouhaha between Ben Howe and John Nolte over Howe’s review of a film and music video produced by a tea party group. Howe lambasted the film and video (which as it turns out was a two-minute clip with no plans for being extended into a feature), to which Nolte responded by lambasting Howe over destructive rather than constructive criticism plus writing his review for a left-leaning website. This has had the usual repercussions on social media, namely everybody choose your partner and let’s go square dancing at today’s Battle of Butthurt Hoedown with complimentary refreshments provided by the fine folk at Candyass Cafe.

Being familiar with the entertainment critic realm, given that I used to be in it as both participant and one who rubbed shoulders with others in the same club, a few thoughts born from experience come to mind. The first is that with very few exceptions, critics are frustrated artists. Some accept this fact gracefully, treating fellow albeit more successful artists with affectionate familiarity and encouraging words. Others are steeped in bitterness over their lot in life, brooding over the fundamental unfairness of it all. I should be the one on that record, or stage, or in front of or behind that camera. For these folk, being a critic is not about providing objective analysis of artistic work. It’s a chance for revenge against the guilty by association.

Tied into the latter is the odd phenomenon of critics seeking to co-opt artist’s fame by becoming famous themselves for their invariably caustic criticism. Being noticed by being notorious is a path many have taken over the years, although given how social media has diluted the power traditional media critics once held this is no longer as effective as in days past when a critic could make or break an artist, movie or play.

Taking this from general to specific, while a critic’s obligation is to review with fairness and honesty, letting the chips fall where they may, when dealing within a realm not viewed favorably by the world in general it becomes ever more important for a critic to not only measure their words carefully but also be a direct advocate for raising the performance standard by approaching artists privately to offer thoughts and suggestions on how improvement can be achieved. Two prime examples are Christian music and conservative politics. No one involved in either of these fields need be told they are not in the running for any worldwide popularity prizes. They know the world hates them and is looking for any excuse to tear their work, and them, apart. In this light, it should be even clearer how imperative it is for the knowledgeable critic to respond when something less than stellar comes their way not with snark or smug condescension but rather by going to the artist with a simple message: look, this is not good enough, here is how you can improve. Both the artist, and the cause, will benefit. Provided the artist isn’t so in love with his or herself that all advice is immediately dismissed out of hand, of course. But that is hardly the critic’s fault.

To summarize, there was an opportunity here to work together in the pursuit of excellence. Instead, what we have is what we all too often have: ego, butthurt and nothing positive gained from any of the going-ons. Once again we have someone playing Wile E. Coyote to the hilt as they run around proclaiming themselves, by looking down on others, as a super genius, never noticing they are equally as effective as their idol.

Ali Akbar – Man Of CONVICTION!!!

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And we’re not even referring to his past felonies. From US News & World Report:

Akbar then linked to a story about Donehue, which noted that before he began working for Sanford, Donehue had publicly called the former South Carolina governor a “piece of human [sh#t].”

The back-and-forth didn’t go much further before a moderator stepped in and told the two to take their name calling elsewhere.

Really, Ali? You, linking to a story about someone working for a campaign who previously derided the candidate in question?

How quickly we forget…

Here are the quick ramblings and tatlings of a Newt endorser and the leading NotMittRomney voice: me.

And of course, Ali, your notmittromney.com site which started with such sound and fury in November 2011 — complete with a page on which to make donations — mysteriously transformed itself into a redirect to Romney’s campaign site sometime in-between May 12th and May 27th of last year. Right, Ali!

A man of conviction you are, Akbar.

More Methodical Elements Assembly

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The methodical elements assembly continues with the redesigned Cephas Hour website. Previously it was a single page; now it has far more content with much more to come: artist bios, past show playlists and whatever else I can come up with.

Reaction thus far has been mixed; the design appeals to some and overpowers/turns off others. Ah well.

The work continues.

Methodical Elements Assembly

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The multi-pronged promotion of Cephas Hour, and far more importantly the artists whose music I play on said show, continues. From Examiner.com:

East Bay alternative rock legends Veil of Ashes, whose new record Eternal Teenage Angst was released earlier this week, will be the feature artist during an upcoming episode of Cephas Hour on BlackLight Radio. The show will air Sunday March 24th at 11 AM and 11 PM Eastern time.

Along with tracks from the new record Eternal Teenage Angst, the show will feature songs from Veil of Ashes’ other releases along with quotes from band members and reminisces by the show’s host, who covered the band as a music journalist during its active days playing clubs throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in the time period of the late 1980s through early to mid-1990s. While the band made no effort to disguise its members beliefs, its observational lyrics format analyzing social and relationship issues along with its edgy, hard-driving music won it a wide following as it shared the stage with artists and bands such as Chris Isaak, the Call, Psychedelic Furs, Social Distortion and 4 Non-Blondes.

BlackLight Radio, on which Cephas Hour exclusively airs, is an Internet station presently celebrating its eighth year online. Since 2010 it has featured an all-80s music format. About the format station owner Gene Savage notes, “It’s the music I grew up with, a format I know well, and it’s also an excellent advertising demo (35-44 year olds).”

Savage, whose reasons for starting the station include “hopefully showing the mega-corporations who currently control radio how it’s done,” waxes enthusiastic about Cephas Hour in general and the upcoming special in particular. He comments, “It’s a fantastic addition to our programming which really helps complete the story of the music of the 80s and helps us fulfill our commitment to play ‘all of the 80s, all of the time.’ Not only does it introduce ‘new’ 80s music to many listeners, it also provides religious programming on Sunday mornings – a common practice for many top 40 stations in the 80s. Additionally, Cephas Hour is completely unique programming, unduplicated on any other station. It is a programming element that sets us apart from the other 80s stations.”

Savage adds the show has personal meaning for him as well as professional ties. “It is a great feeling for me personally. My roots are in Christian rock, and I’ve been disappointed to leave behind the music that was there for me when my faith was new. (Show host) Jerry (Wilson)’s programming is a great mix of forgotten favorites along with new-to-me songs that challenge my faith and move me forward spiritually. It’s rare to find a program that makes me tap my feet and make me think, but Jerry’s does!”

NOTE: The author of this article is the host of Cephas Hour.

Also, while a complete overhaul of the show’s website is in the works I’ve made a few modifications to the present one. A couple of banners, one for the new Veil of Ashes record and one for Frontline Records have been added, and I’ve tidied up the archive listing so it’s more compact.

The elements creation and methodical assembly continue.

And Now, What I’d Rather Write About

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It ain’t Ali Akbar, folks. From my Examiner column yesterday:

Legendary East Bay alternative rock band Veil of Ashes, which shared the stage with musical luminaries such as Chris Isaak, the Call, Psychedelic Furs, Social Distortion a 4 Non-Blondes during its active years of the late 1980s through mid-1990s, has released its first new album in twenty years. Eternal Teenage Angst, available through the band’s Bandcamp page, includes one new song in addition to a collection of demos and live tracks spanning much of the band’s career.

The new track, “Reach,” is a cover version of the Brian Healy/Dead Artist Syndrome tune from his 1990 debut alum Prints of Darkness. Veil of Ashes often backed Healy in concert during his San Francisco Bay Area appearances. The song was recorded by the band’s best-known lineup of lead vocal and guitar Sean Doty, bassist Brian Kirsch, drummer Phil Meads and guitarist/keyboardist Lance Harris.

New to the listener will be three songs recorded during what turned out to be Veil of Ashes’ last studio session before disbanding in the mid-1990s: “Angel Falls,” “Demon Box” and “Seraphim Twist,” the latter featuring a rare lead vocal by Kirsch who used the stage name Sterling during his tenure with the band. The album continues with demos of known tracks recorded at different times with different lineups, with arrangements ranging from somewhat to noticeably different than the eventual studio release. The overall tenor, as befitting demo session dynamics, is more raw than the studio versions. A few live tracks close out the record.

What is most noticeable about Eternal Teenage Angst is how it showcases Veil of Ashes as both a powerhouse rock‘n’roll ensemble and how well its music has aged. The demos are in several cases superior to the studio version, better capturing the band’s driving style without forsaking melody, while the energy and style mesh well with today’s alternative rock flavorings. Far from being a nostalgia trip, the album has several tracks that would fit into most any alternative rock radio station’s playlist without the listeners suspecting they were hearing twenty to twenty-five year old music.

It has often been noted that fans of today’s Christian alternative rock artists such as Switchfoot have no idea from whence the genre came. Although not as well known as a Steve Taylor or the Choir, Veil of Ashes were a vital part of Christian alternative rock’s formation in that they not only produced quality music on a level equal to secular acts, they routinely played secular venues on their own merits. Eternal Teenage Angst is not a comprehensive career-spanning Veil of Ashes anthology. But for those who want to know how artistically accomplished classic Christian alternative rock was, it is a superb introduction.

Snakes (And How Smitty Isn’t One)

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Smitty, who blogs at The Other McCain, was kind enough to share his thoughts here about one of my recent posts. Much appreciated. A few observations in regard to his comments:

It’s worth noting that I’m not about evangelization. It’s not my calling. I’m about edification and exhorting people to return to the faith.

I’ve done loss leader activities before when it was something needing to be done. I will never, as in never, come even halfway close to recouping the money I spent putting together my book. I didn’t mind in the least. How could I? I was repaying a debt to these artists I could never repay. Namely, bringing me back to God. The very least I could do was what I could do to encourage others to also return home.

That said, I didn’t spend what I didn’t have, and I’m not about to start now. I’m neither prepared nor willing to solicit donations for such an endeavor as staging a concert during CPAC 2014. Maybe I’ll change my mind between now and then; I don’t know.

Also, let’s face it. If someone has the choice between writing a check to bring the Lost Dogs or Phil Keaggy to town, or writing the same check to facilitate shmoozing between a bunch of bloggers (never mind their effective reach beyond the echo chamber is negligible at best) and politicos, it’s not cynicism to suggest that going for the immediate effect of perceived political action will trump effecting the cultural change so many bleat they want yet never seem to actually do anything to put into place. Every time.

Back in the day, I attended several Gospel Music Association conventions in Nashville. To a one they were filled with fresh-faced artists, radio people, concert promoters, bookstore owners and so on. These people were to a one in love with the Lord and on fire to serve Him through the music in whatever area they worked. They were ready and willing to do whatever it took to change the world.

They never did.

Why?

It wasn’t their fault. Sure, there were errors of enthusiasm: overestimating abilities, failure to learn business dynamics. However, these people were not even close to being the primary reason for not achieving their goals. They were thwarted by industry leadership unwilling to support the ministries they claimed to have at heart as instead it lavished attention and resources on what was safe, and what paid the most within the Christian cultural castle echo chamber. They were equally held back from reaching their goals by an industry with significant corruption at the highest levels, be it financial, moral or both.

Sound familiar? It should. Substitute CPAC for GMA and you have the exact same scenario. The only difference is that now people claim to follow Ronald Reagan rather than Jesus Christ.

I noticed Smitty didn’t address my comments about NBC. Any possible gain it might offer by facilitating contact between bloggers and politicians is ancillary to its main objective: making Ali Akbar a Beltway player. Never mind that NBC has abandoned its original objective; never mind its lack of financial transparency or its primary fundraising technique consisting of poking the hornets nest and then crying because its residents emerged in an ill humor. Never mind how Akbar has left behind a trail of underhanded dealings, broken promises and questions that regardless of who asks what are immediately labeled a nefarious plot, or unwitting participation in one, by his enablers *coughstacymccaincough*. Does enabling Joe or Jane Blogger to get a photo op with Ted Cruz make all of this all right?

We saw this year with the thin-skinned act by the ACU of excluding GOProud, then Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, from the CPAC program because of criticism, its corruption. We know Akbar’s corruption. This isn’t about them. It is about any organization. A corrupt head weakens, renders ineffective and ultimately lays to waste the entire body no matter how many of its other parts are doing the right thing for the right reason.

You can’t dance with the devil in order to sing for the savior. Stay away from snakes.

PS: Video’s not so hot, but the song is great: